Page 8 of Dark Little Game

“This is Briar Zhang, one of our new junior fencers,” Coach Hemson says. “You’re both transfers. If you’d like to try out for our competitive team, I’ll spar with you, and then Briar will.”

“Pleasure,” Briar says, pulling off a glove and reaching out to shake my hand.

Her eyes travel up and down my body in a way I’m used to seeing.

People always like how Ilook.

It’s just my personality they can’t handle.

Feelings don’t work for me, unfortunately.I had to learn to kill that part of myself long ago.

“Ready to fight?”

“Always.”

I suit up in the locker room and then come back to select a foil sword from the racks of available weapons. I try a few, getting a feel for their different weights.

The moment the handle of the right sword is in my hands, I feel myself coming back into my body.

Yes.

I spar with Coach Hemson first, and he’s damn good. He’s particularly stylish with his parrying, and he moves backward much faster than I’d expect based on his frame and laid-back demeanor.

But when I spar with Briar, it’s another feeling entirely.

She’sincredible.

Within moments of her metal clinking against mine, I know she must have trained for far longer than her college years.

I knew she’d be quick, but she’s even more agile than I am.

Her sword hits mine, over and over, the sound reverberating through the room as Coach watches us.

“Good.Great, Zhang,” he calls out as he narrows his eyes, watching us fight.

I stay focused on her movements, and she catches me out once, and then twice. But in the end, I back her into a corner and catch her on a misplayed parry.

She’s faster, but I’m taller.

And I use it to my advantage.

She stumbles backward onto her ass on the mat.

I exhale as I pull up my mask, reaching down to help her up.

“You’re great, Knox,” Coach says. “Don’t think I have to even say this, but you’re on the team, if you want to be.”

“Thank you,” I tell him.

Briar’s eyes are wide, and she’s breathing heavily now. Coach heads over into the supply room, and I’m left with just her on the mat.

“I’m not going to kiss your ass like Hemson,” she says. “You’re good. But you just got lucky, getting me on the ground there.”

I hum. “Maybe next time, you should parry quicker.”

She lifts an eyebrow. “Nice attitude. You pick that up in London, too?”

I bite my tongue.